Metal awning construction



July 24, 1951 M. HARRISON ETAL 2,562,092

METAL AWNING CONSTRUCTION Filed Dec. 15, 1945 .Fu cn tors 1/2 Mcyerflarrison ATTORNEYS Meyer *Harrisonanfl SamuI BfiKormanJfittS- burgh, Pa., as'signors, by mesne assignments,

11:0 :American :Nationa'll Bankaand-l'frust IifiompanyyofiGhicago;as'trustee 'Ap 'llicaltion'Deceniber 15, ismsfis rial 'n kee'sizia This invention relates-to -"m'etalawnings an'tl*is for an improvement in awnings of *the general type disclosed 'in l-louseman Re-issue PatentNo. j975of January1,1939, and thGjDYBSBIitiIIVEH- tiondisolo'ses -in ,part elements "which-are *dis- 1 closed imanopending"application" filed by us on December 15, "1945 rSerialNo. "635213, Patent No.

Awningsnfthe typereferred to have ta sloping'irooffsection "or; panel which" is "comprisedof-a series of spaced "alternately reversed li'ght "sheet metal channels. ohe se'rie'sof channelshave the side, flanges upturned so as toformftroug'hs; and they are "commonly "referredto 'in'the art "as 'ifpansi "Thejpans'arespacetlat regular interv yals'from one another. Spanningthe -openings between the pans and overlapping the flanges'fof the pans are invertedchannels which are reierredto injthe art as covers. They are'in vertical spaced relationto "the pans so thatair immediately under "the awning Whichiswarmed by contact with the awning surfaceJma'yteScape to i'someiextent "from under the vawning. :Avthe same time "the oveflappingfif the flanges jonthe covers of -thefpans "preventsdirect -rays o'f the sun "from entermg between the 'covers anti "pans; even-when the rays "are slanting 'at'a "consifi'erablefan'g'le, and'preventsthe'wintldriven rain from heatingthroughthe'spacebetween"thelowerpans andtheuppercovers. I

j The "pans are "commonly supported "on cross members under'ithe awning eover. The -cover-ele- 1'1 .(3laims. (cum- 57:5). V i v I S ments in'turn iare-usually"supported*onbraekets extending 'upwardlrfrom the'sideflanges "of-"'the covers; Inany event, the-boltsor'screws whieh secureth'e lower pan 'members to the "cross bars are "concealed under the :covers, but the screws onbolts whioh'holdthe-covers irr-p'lac'e as heret'ofore-constructed are-visible at the "front" of the elements heretoforeusedg'the invtentionlthus'con ti ibuting"to the strength Ofthe awning -which is mportantffactor, where-"-light gauge sheet mtal is used. I V Y bur i'nventionrmay be*more ifilly 'understoofl by reference "?the aceon'ipan'ying -dr'awings, which: i I Fig$ 1- is a perspe' ti-v e wiew of an-awning e'm b'o'oyingmur invention, "but "with the cus'tom-ary end friajmes or the cm tairis --df the awnin'g' re'je mevea;- I l i, ":Fig'fl 2 :is a traI-isverse section in s1116stan-tii l-l y the plane ofiline ll -H 61 Fig.1 1; Fig 3 is wrong-mama stagg ez-" e'd sectionfin substantially he planeiOT line'fiII lIl ofiFig Figel is-L ragn-ientary view"sinfilario l but on -a somewhat' larger iscagle'; and f I? Fig. l 5 is a a fragmentary vi'e'w -with a lmo 'rlifica' tion howing one' 6f 5 the inner edge 'poi 'ti'ons of one 'of the covermembers. j i In' the d'rawings, the wm iing a's illu'strateti eompr-is'es' a plurality of sheet meta1 chann1-= e e: ments 2 having upwardly-turneii flangesm."Elie npper iends df these channels -are secured to a transver-s e fiash memher or' skir-v as more flilly describecl'iin our copehding application above me ferretl to. I Hey are 1 also l supported 'b-y f trans-'1 versely ex-tending 'paralll erossuchannels df light section, ith'ese c'ross men'ihers bemg deS'ignatetI E'L They are secured to the channels by m'eans of bolts -6 thatpass through 50118 of the horizontal flanges of whe -cross tchannels i #an'tl through th webs of the channel men'ibers 2, as i mOs't EleaEl-y shown in 'Fig's.* -2,-'33'iand *The sloping "sheet metal channels 2 were *the so called i 'ans, an'ii they arex-space'd ifrnm one another iatregi'ilar m tervals. Ih'e screws 6 mass -through the pa'ns near ntherside fiange's L3,, and. as clearly shown in Fig. "4, atheyaarethreaded into the ilower-iendszof tubular posts 1, which may be either metal 01* plastic. .These :ipo'sts, which-are gpreferably, .but notnecessaril-y cylindricalghave grooves :8 iinithe peripheries :thereof,\theigrooveslbeing Eat xorin'ear the .level' of 1 the ztop of ;thet flanges iof :thezpans: Spanning :the space between reach i'two p'ans there iszantinverted.csheetimetal channel or louver member :9. FIhe mover members :-9 -:ha-v e edow-n wardly tu'rned flan'g'es 40' on each end thereo'fi According to the present invention the depend ing lower edges of the z fianges 1"0 am -turned: inwardly, the inwardly turned portions b'eing designated EN. "The inwardlyfitumeclzportions I l are received iin the "grooves' 8 LOf the posts =1 andflthe posts 1 are (of :axheight suchi as atofmaintainmthe proper spacing betw een the fiat pottions of 'tlie webs and- 'eov'ers. 'l he wiolthqi 'h'e ooversm with the id'ownwardlyxtumedl'flanges c150 candrainwarfdlyi turned lips -I l Li's such' that" in ortier tozsecure the pans :orwove'rs implaeesthesideflanges J11 must be sprung outwardly so as to be sprung tightly into the grooves 8, and once the assembly is made, the channels are held by great friction against relative endwise movement. The covers can only be displaced either by springing them off, or by pulling them endwise with very considerable force. To more accurately hold the covers against endwise. displacement, the inwardly turned flanges I I may, as shown in Fig. 5, be provided with notches l2 at a proper location to engage the posts, the notches permitting the flange H to embrace the post to some extent, and thus positively lock the cover members, against endwise movement.

The arrangement thus described provides an 4 mediate the ends thereof for receiving the lips of the upper channels to anchor the upper channels in place, the lips being notched where they enter the grooves in the posts.

4. An awning comprising a lower series of spaced channels having upwardly turned flanges,

an upper series of channels overlapping the edges of the lower series, the upper channels having downwardly turned flanges with inwardly turned .glips thereon, post elements on the lower channels bearing against the webs of the upper channels, the post elements having grooves therein intermediate the ends thereof for receiving the lips of the upper channels to anchor the upper awning in which the screws 6 for attaching the pans or lower series of channels to the cross braces are located under the overhang of the covers and are entered into the supporting posts 1, and the posts 1 are screwed down tightly against the surface of-thepans to clamp the metal constituting the pans between the heads of the screws 6 and the lower ends of the posts 1, protecting the holes for the screws against corrosion and providing a water-tight connection. The posts I in turn provide elements for supporting the cover 9 at the proper elevation above the pans. The inwardly turned lips on the flanges 10 of the covers give increased longitudinal rigidity to the pans, tending to support the awning against sagging between the upper and lower ends, even in relatively long awnings, and enabling light gauge sheet metal to be used. Additionally, the inter-engagement of the lips H with the grooves 8 inthe supporting posts holds the covers against upward movement and endwise movement As previously indicated, additional holding against endwise movement may be provided by notches 12.

While we have shown and described one present preferred embodiment of, our invention, it will be understood that this is by way of illustration, and that various changes and modifications may be made within the contemplation of our invention and under the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. An awning comprising a lower series of spaced channels having upwardly turned flanges, an upper series of channels overlapping the edges of the lower series, the upper channels having downwardly turned flanges with inwardly turned lips thereon, and elements projecting above the tops of the'lower channels supporting the upper channels and having a portion beneath which the said lips are hooked for securing, the upper channels in place. 2. An awning comprising a lower series of spaced channels having upwardly turned flanges, an upper series of channels overlapping the edges of the lower series, the upper channels having downwardly turned flanges with inwardly turned lips thereon, post elements on the lower channels bearing against the webs of the upper channels, the post elements having grooves therein intermediate the ends thereof for receiving the lips of the upper channels to anchor the upper channels in place.

3. An awning comprising a lower series of spaced channels having upwardly turned flanges, an upper series of channels overlapping the edges of the lower series, the upper channels having downwardly turned flanges with inwardly turned lips thereon, post elements on the lower channels bearing against the-webs of the upper channels, the post elements .having grooves therein int-er channels in place, cross braces under the lower series of channels, and screws attaching the lower channels to the cross braces and also holding the posts in place.

5. An awning of the class described having a supporting frame structure and a roof surface formed of alternately reversed upper and lower channels, the upper channels each having a web with a down turned flange at each side thereof, the down-turnedflanges, each having an ine wardly-extending lip thereon which is spaced from the web of the channel'of which it forms a part, and means on the lowerfchannels and ex tending above the flanges of the lower channels with which the lips interlock to hold the upper channels in place, the webs offthe upper channels resting on said last-named means for supf porting the upper channels in spaced relation to the lower ones. 'j

6. An awning of the class described havinga supporting frame structure and a roof surface formed of alternately reversed upper and lower channels, the upper channels each having a web with a down-turned flange ateach side thereof, the down-turned flanges each having an in"- wardly-extending lip thereon which is spaced from the web of the channel of which it forms a part, and means on the lower channels and extendingabove the flanges of the loWerfchan-j nels with which the lips interlock to hold the up; per channels in place, the webs of the upper chan i nels resting on said last-named means for sup porting the upper channels in spaced relation to the lower ones, said last-named means having a shoulder under which the lips are sprung.

7. An awning of the classdescribed having' faj supporting frame structure and a" roof surface formed of alternately reversed upper 'and lower. channels, the upper channels each having a'web with a down-turned flange at each side thereof, the down-turned flanges each having an in'- wardly-ex tending lip thereon'which is spaced. from the web of the channel of which it forms a; part, and meanson the lower channels with which the lips interlock to hold theupper chan nels inplace, the, webs of the upper channls resting on saidlast named means for, support{ ing the upperchannels in spaced relat ion toth e, lower ones, said last-namednneans having shoulder under which the lips are sprung, the lips being shaped to interlock, with saiddast named means to restrain the upper. channels, againstendwise movement, e .1 8. 'An awning having alternately?reversedpve g lapping vertically spaced .channels, th e lower, channelshaving upwardly turned flanges,,the, upper channels having downwardly,--,.'turned,- flanges,v inwardly turned lip elements y on,. the; flan s, of the upp c annel plafromathey-webs of thechannels, andmeans-securing; said upper channels in position with, respe c,t; to,

said lower channels comprising fastening elements having a lower part secured to the webs of the lower channels with the upper parts of the elements in engagement with the under surface of the webs of overlying upper channels and a holding means in the mid portions of said elements so positioned that the inwardly-turned lips of overlying channel flanges hook into said means to hold the upper channels in fixed position.

9. An awning having spaced alternate upper and lower channels with the edges of adjacent upper and lower channels overlapping, the upper channels each having a web with downwardly turned flanges along its edges and lip elements projecting inwardly from the free edges of said flanges, each of said lip elements being spaced by its flange from a web of an upper channel to provide an upper surface facing such web, and means securing the upper channels in fixed position over the lower channels comprising fastening elements secured to the upper face of the web of the lower channels and extending upwardly a substantial distance above the tops of the flanges on the lower channels into engagement with the under faces of the webs of overlying channels and notches formed in the mid portions of said elements positioned to make locking engagements with the lips on flanges of the overlying channels.

10. The awning structure defined in claim 8 in which the lower channels are secured to supporting members extending transversely of the channels by screws that pass through the members and webs of the lower channels into the bottom of the fastening elements.

11. An awning construction which comprises a 6 series of spaced lower channels having upwardlyturned flanges, a staggered series of upper channels having their webs mounted over the spaces between the first series of channels with downwardly-turned side flanges, the free edges of which have laterally inturned lips that form ledges substantially parallel with the webs of the channels on which they are carried, and of a width several times the thickness of the metal from which the channels are formed, and elements mounted wholly between the overlapping web portions of the upper and lower channels and secured to and carried by the lower channels adjacent the flanges of the lower channels, said elements extending into the space between the ledges and webs of the upper channels and having faces under which the ledges formed by the lips of the upper channels are locked whereby the upper channels are locked against upward movement and restrained against sidewise movement.

MEYER HARRISON.

SAMUEL B. KORMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 537,569 Flatau Apr. 16, 1895 612,024 Drake Oct. 11, 1898 615,178 Hooper Nov. 29, 1898 1,196,133 Moister Aug. 29, 1916 1,330,493 Perrusi Feb. 10, 1920 1,606,434 McAfoos Nov. 9, 1926 1,770,063 Bloss July 8, 1930 2,256,941 Crawford Sept. 23, 1941 

